a spirit

4:15a spirit. This was an evil spirit—perhaps Satan himself—diabolically implanting an accusation against Job in the mind of Eliphaz, which would be used later with telling effect to try to undermine Job’s faith. The spirit stressed God’s wrathful righteousness and man’s sinful worthlessness, with no hint at all of God’s love and saving grace. This would be translated by Eliphaz into the conviction that Job must be, despite outward appearances, a sinner suffering God’s judgment.